Prepare for Hummingbird Fall Migration

Keep your eyes peeled––ruby-throated hummingbirds will be on the move soon! These tiny birds cover some serious milage each year during migration season. They leave Central America and Mexico in the spring, heading north into the eastern United States and Canada, before making the trip south again in the fall. In the coming weeks, we’ll begin seeing ruby-throated hummingbirds pass through our area on their trek to find warmer weather.

Most of Mississippi can expect to see hummingbirds starting around September 27–October 4. Costal areas are a week later, October 4–11. It’s important to note these dates and ranges are estimates from collected data from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The birds could arrive earlier or later than the expected dates.

As we await their arrival, there’s one important thing that needs to be done––feeder prep! Dr. Adam Rohnke, Mississippi State University Extension wildlife specialist, has a few recommendations to help give hummingbirds a proper welcome during fall migration.

• Clean all feeders from earlier in the year and fill them with a new batch of hummingbird food. Mix one part of refined white sugar with four parts water. An old wives’ tale suggests adding red food color into the water to help attract birds. That tale is not true, as it’s not recommended to add food color to the mix.
• Keep a close eye on the feeders. The mixture will spoil within 2–3 days of sitting in hot temperatures. If you notice the mixture turning an opaque, milky white color, dump it out and clean thoroughly. To clean, submerge the feeder in a 10 percent bleach solution, rinse with water, and let it air dry.

Coastal residents can keep feeders up into late fall and early winter as it is common to have hummingbirds in the area during this time. In other areas of the state, it’s best to monitor hummingbird presence to determine when to take down feeders.

One last pro tip: have a spot for you to watch the hummingbirds! If you put out feeders, you’ll have plenty of visitors fueling up along their trip!